Scottish Parliament

Written Answers

Tuesday 12 October 1999

Scottish Executive

Beef on the Bone

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why it did not make an earlier statement on issues relating to the lifting of the beef on the bone ban given that the Chief Medical Officer for England issued his latest advice on this matter seven weeks ago, and whether it will take steps to expedite the completion of the Wellcome Trust Centre study in order that further consideration may be given to lifting the ban prior to the main autumn beef cattle sales in October and November.

Susan Deacon: All four CMOs have been in discussion on this matter since July. The CMOs met as recently as 8 September to review the current position in an effort to reach common medical advice. This did not prove possible so each CMO then issued individual advice to their respective Ministers.

  The CMO England’s advice was referred to on Monday 20 September in a statement made by Mr Nick Brown, UK Minister for Agriculture, about aid for farmers. The full advice was published on the MAFF website 22 September 1999; the CMO Scotland’s advice was published on the Scottish Executive website the same day. Professor Carter has been keeping this matter under regular review and the published advice reflects his most up to date assessment.

  Scientists at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Epidemiology of Infectious Disease in Oxford have been asked to provide further analysis of the BSE epidemic in cattle for consideration by the CMOs. They are aiming to complete their analysis as soon as possible.

Beef on the Bone

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the Chief Medical Officer for Scotland’s recommendation that the beef on the bone ban should be ‘subject to review on receipt of the definite estimates from the Oxford Group and to re-appraisal in January 2000 if the ban has not been lifted by that time’, whether it will explain the difference in meaning between ‘review’ and ‘re-appraisal.

Susan Deacon: The Chief Medical Officer keeps under review all relevant developments concerning BSE and vCJD epidemics and pays particular heed to information relating to the bone-in-beef ban. The production by the Oxford Group of their risk estimates concerning maternal transmission, due now in November, would prompt a review of all the factors relating to these Regulations, and consideration of the validity of interim advice which is updated on these occasions. If no change appears appropriate at that time, the CMO proposed that a further exercise would take place in January 2000 to examine all the information then available. The terms "review" and "reappraisal" are interchangeable and in this particular context the CMO referred to the exercise in January 2000 as a reappraisal.

Beef on the Bone

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it accepts the Chief Medical Officer for England’s view that the additional health risk created by lifting the beef on the ban would be tiny and unquantifiable.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive intends to lift the controls on beef on the bone as soon as medical advice justifies such action.

  At present there is a difference of professional view between the Chief Medical Officer for England and the CMOs for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on the evidence available. All the CMOs agree that the ban should not be lifted on manufactured beef products. The Scottish CMO, in common with his professional colleagues in Wales and Northern Ireland, however, remains concerned that there is insufficient evidence available to underpin a recommendation to lift the ban now on visible cuts of meat. The Scottish CMO does not consider that there is enough scientific certainty to depart from the current precautionary stance and recommends that the ban stays in place. The Scottish Executive has accepted his advice.

  We will, however, continue to keep the position under review and as indicated, the ban will be lifted as soon as the medical advice indicates that it is safe to do so.

Education

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average teacher’s salary in Scotland was in 1979 and 1997 and what the percentage increase in real terms of the average teacher’s salary in Scotland was between 1979 and 1997.

Mr Sam Galbraith: Information on average salaries is not held or collected centrally.

Employment

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what size of grant has been paid to UNISYS in relation to setting up its new venture in Glasgow, and what conditions have been imposed for clawback of the grant should UNISYS subsequently move its operations elsewhere.

Henry McLeish: Information regarding payment of financial assistance to companies, whether inward investment or indigenous, is commercially confidential. Unisys is eligible for support on exactly the same basis as any other commercial venture bringing investment and jobs to an Assisted Area.

  All offers of regional selective assistance (RSA) contain specific provisions relating to the clawback of grant, should there be a breach of the grant agreement by the grantee. Once an RSA application has been approved, grant is always paid retrospectively and only when set conditions have been met. If these conditions are not met, then no grant is payable.

Enterprise

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1683 by Nicol Stephen on 23 September, whether employment potential is one of the factors considered by Local Enterprise Companies in determining whether or not a contract offers maximum value for money.

Nicol Stephen: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. However we understand that in awarding contracts, Local Enterprise Companies operate competitive tendering on the basis of cost, quality, programme track record and overall best value or money. Factors such as employment potential may come into play where all other criteria are equal.

Finance

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty’s Government to include Bonnybridge in the assisted area map and in the map for EU Objective 2 assistance.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive welcomed the plans for new Assisted Areas in Scotland put to the European Commission on 15 July by the UK Government. We recognise that a number of areas not covered by the map have made representations to the Scotland Office concerning the needs of their areas and understand that these points are currently being considered by the UK Government.

  The Objective 2 proposals are complementary to those on Assisted Areas and are based on similar, but not identical criteria. In line with the focus of the Objective 2 proposals on areas of need, Bonnybridge featured in the recommendations put forward by the Scottish Executive and is included in the UK Government’s Objective 2 proposals. The list of proposed areas has now been submitted by the Government to the European Commission.

Finance

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1281 by Jack McConnell on 27 September, whether it will place copies of the lease and the sublease of Bute House in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Mr Jack McConnell: I am arranging for copies of the lease and the sub lease to be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Health

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much money was allocated in 1995-96 and 1996-97 to the following bodies: Health Boards, Clinical Standards Board for Scotland, Health Education Board for Scotland, National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Scotland, Scottish Ambulance Service, Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education, and State Hospital.

Susan Deacon: The allocations were as follows:

  

 

1995-96 

  


1996-97 

  



 

£000 


£000 




Health Boards 

  

3,211,466 

  

3,368,939 

  



Clinical Standards Board for Scotland 

  (1) 

  

0 

  

0 

  



Health Education Board for Scotland 

  

7,166 

  

7,470 

  



National Board for Nursing, Midwifery 

  and Health Visiting for Scotland (3) 

  

3,818 

  

3,541 

  



Scottish Ambulance Service (2) 

  

0 

  

0 

  



Scottish Council for Postgraduate 

  Medical and Dental Education 

  

93,190 

  

99,901 

  



State Hospital 

  

21,525 

  

22,337 

  



  (1) The Clinical Standards Board was only established on 1 April 1999.

  (2) The Scottish Ambulance Service was an NHS Trust in 1995-96 and 1996-97, and therefore received its resources through contracts with Health Boards and other NHS Trusts.

  (3) From 1996-97 responsibility for initial teacher training for nurse lecturers was transferred from the National Board to universities providing nurse education.

Heritage

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek up to date advice from Historic Scotland on the best ways to protect the extensive Roman remains at Cramond, in view of the current proposed development for Cramond Campus and the Cramond Sewage Pumping Station, and whether it will give directions on this matter.

Rhona Brankin: Historic Scotland has been in discussion with the proposed developers and the local planning authority about proposed developments which would affect the extensive Roman remains at Cramond. The Roman fort and civil settlement at Cramond is a scheduled monument and as such any works affecting it require the prior written consent of Scottish Ministers.

Justice

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to reform the law relating to standard securities to allow the provisions of section 40 of the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1985, adapted as necessary, to apply in cases where the eviction of a debtor and his family is sought by virtue of security holders’ powers under the Conveyancing and Feudal Reform (Scotland) Act 1970.

Mr Jim Wallace: We have no such intentions at present. However we have already indicated our support for the proposed Members’ Bill by Ms Cathie Craigie MSP which seeks to protect those facing repossession in Scotland.

Maritime Issues

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make representations to Her Majesty’s Government about the need to maintain all existing Scottish Coastguard Stations to ensure a fast and effective response to marine incidents posing threats to the Scottish environment.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with Her Majesty’s Government on a wide range of issues including matters relating to maritime safety and the marine environment.

Maritime Issues

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make representations to Her Majesty’s Government about the need to improve the regulation of shipping carrying hazardous cargoes in Scottish coastal waters.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with Her Majesty’s Government on a wide range of issues including matters relating to maritime safety and the marine environment.

Maritime Issues

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will encourage the Marine Conservation Society and other agencies involved in beach award schemes to take into account sites which are not tested by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Sarah Boyack: Water quality at each locality is one of the fundamental aspects which interests the public in most award schemes. There is no merit therefore in encouraging such bodies to take into account sites which are not tested.

Planning

Mr Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review guidelines on the discretionary powers of local authority officials in planning, building control and environmental services.

Sarah Boyack: In terms of section 56 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, local authorities may arrange for the discharge of any of their functions by officers. Delegation schemes vary from authority to authority, and it is for each authority to give guidance on how delegated powers should be exerted.

Planning

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what planning regulations and ownership provisions require to be met before the erection of a mobile phone transmitter mast.

Sarah Boyack: As with any other form of development, mobile phone transmitter masts require planning permission from the planning authority, unless they qualify for permitted development rights under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Order 1992. Class 67 of the Order sets out the permitted development rights for telecommunications code system operators, and includes, among other things, the erection of masts. Not all mobile phone masts benefit from permitted development rights. For example, permitted development rights do not apply in the case of ground based masts over 15 metres in height. Such masts would require planning permission from the planning authority.

  Telecommunications code system operators are granted Telecommunications Code powers (contained in Schedule 2 to the Telecommunications Act 1984 ("the Code") in their Telecommunications Act licences. In respect of land, the Code requires operators to obtain the agreement of the occupier of the land to install apparatus or execute works on it. If such an agreement is not made, operators may ask the Court to allow them to dispense with consent to access particular land and to set out the consideration to be paid for such access.

Planning

Mr Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning applications have been received for mobile telephone transmission masts in the whole of Scotland.

Sarah Boyack: Such information is not held centrally.

  Planning applications are submitted to local authorities as planning authorities. Periodically planning authorities submit statistical information to the Scottish Executive about the number of applications received and the time taken to determine them. However, the returns are not sufficiently detailed to identify applications relating specifically to mobile telephone transmission masts.

Post Office

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the light of the recent legal case under the National Minimum Wages Act 1998, it will make representations to Her Majesty’s Government requesting that the Post Office be instructed to accept the tribunal’s ruling and increase payments to sub-postmasters in Scotland to comply with the Act.

Henry McLeish: As explained in the answer to S1W-1330, this is a legal matter for The Employment Tribunal and Courts to determine. The Department of Trade and Industry who have policy responsibility for these reserved matters have seen the Employment Tribunal's decision and will study its findings in detail.

  I understand that in this case, the Post Office was not disputing that workers should receive at least the minimum wage but was questioning whether, under their contractual arrangements, a subpostmaster or subpostmistress is a worker as defined by the National Minimum Wage Act 1998.

Programme for Government

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1394 by Mr Jack McConnell on 21 September 1999, whether there were any other costs associated with Making it Work Together: A Programme for Government , other than those outlined in the answer and, if so, what these costs were and to what they amounted.

Mr Jack McConnell: There were no further costs incurred in relation to the publication and launch of Making it Work Together: A Programme for Government other than those given in the answer I gave to question S1W-1394 on 21 September.

Rural Affairs

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is an opportunity to re-evaluate the timetabling of the Rural Challenge Fund within each financial year, to allow a longer lead-in time for community groups than has previously been the case.

Ross Finnie: The guidance and timetable for the Rural Challenge Fund are re-evaluated before every annual round. The guidance for the financial year 2000-01 was distributed on 23 September 1999, and set a closing date for applications of 30 November 1999. This gives community groups and others a longer preparation time than in any previous round.

Scottish National Heritage

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the expenditure on external contracts for public relations and lobbying activities for Scottish National Heritage for each of the past two years and its budgets for these activities for the current financial year.

Sarah Boyack: Scottish Natural Heritage has incurred no expenditure on external contracts for public relations and lobbying activities in each of the past two years and has not made any budgetary provision for such expenditure in the current financial year. SNH employs its own public relations staff.

Training

Ms Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to develop educational qualifications to better meet the needs of the manufacturing sector.

Henry McLeish: The role of the Scottish Qualifications Authority and higher education institutions in Scotland is to make available qualifications which are relevant to the needs of employers and individuals. Occupational sectors, including the manufacturing sector, are represented by a UK-wide network of National Training Organisations whose role is to define the education, training, skills and development needs of employers in their sector, and to convey these needs to those organisations involved in the development and delivery of qualifications.

Transport

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many passenger-miles were travelled in Scotland by (a) bus; and (b) train for the latest period for which figures are available and for each of the previous three years.

Sarah Boyack: The latest available numbers of vehicle-miles travelled in Scotland by bus and coach passenger services are set out in the table below. Numbers of passenger-miles travelled by train are not readily available.

  


Year 


Vehicle-miles 

  





Million





1997-98 

  

346.1 

  



1996-97 

  

331.8 

  



1995-96 

  

313.8 

  



1994-95 

  

318.8

Transport

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty’s Government regarding the level of profits made by the following companies which operate in Scotland: Railtrack; rolling stock companies; train operators and freight operators, and if so, what representations it will make.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with Her Majesty’s Government, The Office of the Rail Regulator and the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority, on issues affecting the operation of the railways in Scotland.

Transport

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many road schemes in Scotland are being considered as part of the strategic roads review and whether it will list the schemes.

Sarah Boyack: Seventeen major road schemes are being considered in the Strategic Roads Review. They are:

  A1 Haddington – Dunbar

  A68 Dalkeith Northern Bypass

  A78 Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenston Bypass

  A8000 Forth Road Bridge to M9

  A830 Arisaig – Kinsadel

  A876 Kincardine Bridge

  A9 Helmsdale to Ord of Caithness

  A90 Balmedie – Tipperty

  A92 Preston – Balfarg

  A96 Fochabers – Mosstodloch Bypass

  A96 Keith Bypass

  A985 Rosyth Bypass

  M74 Northern Extension

  M77 Fenwick – Malletsheugh

  M8 Baillieston – Newhouse

  M8/M6 Fastlink

  M80 Stepps – Haggs

Transport

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to specify for each local authority area the total length of single track classified roads.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive does not collect the information requested for the local road network. However, there are two sections of single track road with passing places on the trunk road network. They are both located within Highland Council, and the total length is approximately 20 kilometres.

Transport

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to extend park and ride facilities on the periphery of Scotland’s cities.

Sarah Boyack: It is for local authorities to take forward the development of park and ride facilities in their areas. The Government’s Preliminary Guidance on Local Transport Strategies encourages local authorities to set out their plans in interim strategies which are due this year. Also, the Scottish Executive’s Public Transport Fund encourages local authorities to develop projects promoting the use of public transport such as the establishment of park and ride sites and associated bus priority measures. In the first round of the Fund 3 projects involving new park and ride sites were successful in securing additional capital allocations. Applications to the second round of the Fund are currently being considered.

Transport

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive to provide details of schemes identified in the A76 Route Action Plan, their cost and progress in their implementation.

Sarah Boyack: The A76 Route Action Plan identified six overtaking opportunity schemes which are listed below. Currently two schemes, Crossroads (east Ayrshire) and Gateside (Dumfries and Galloway), are being prepared and draft orders will be published later this year. Progress thereafter will depend on public reaction to the proposals and the availability of funding.

  


Location 


Description 

  


Length (m) 

  


Estimated Cost 

  (£m) 




Crossroads 

  

New wide single carriageway south 

  of Crossroads with roundabout at junction 

  

1130 

  

0.900 

  



Gateside 

  

New single carriageway off line 

  north of Gateside Farm to provide improved forward visibility 

  

900 

  

0.525 

  



Polquirter 

  

Climbing lane south of Burnton 

  Bridge 

  

820 

  

0.340 

  



Bracknenhill 

  

Climbing lanes either side of Howford 

  Bridge 

  

1900 

  

0.600 

  



Glenairlie 

  

Climbing lane north of Glenairlie 

  plus new single carriageway to improve forward visibility 

  

2150 

  

0.960 

  



Cample 

  

New single carriageway on new line 

  between Cample and Trigony to improve forward visibility 

  

970 

  

0.560 

  


 

Total 

  

7870 

  

3.885

Transport

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive to provide details of schemes identified in the A7 Route Action Plan, their cost and progress in their implementation.

Sarah Boyack: The schemes identified in the A7 Route Action Plan (RAP) are as follows:-

  


Scheme 


Cost 


Progress 

  




1. Colterscleuch (new overtaking 

  section) 

  

£1.5m 

  

Completed 1994-95 

  



2. Mosspeeble to Bush (new overtaking 

  section) 

  

£1.5m 

  

Completed 1994-95 

  



3. Binks-Castleweary (new overtaking 

  section) 

  

£3.0m 

  

Completed 1997 

  



4. Hawick Inner Relief Road 

  

£1.8m 

  

Due for construction 

  in 2000-01 

  



5. Auchenrivock (new overtaking 

  section) 

  

£1.9m (initial estimate) 

  

* 

  



6. Branxholm (upgrading of existing 

  overtaking section) 

  

£0.5m (initial estimate) 

  

* 

  



7. Mosspaul (upgrading of existing 

  overtaking section) 

  

£0.5m (initial estimate) 

  

* 

  



8. Wrae (upgrading of existing 

  overtaking section) 

  

£0.5m (initial estimate) 

  

* 

  



  * Schemes 5 to 8 are currently awaiting funding opportunities to allow them to be progressed.

  In addition to the above a package of improvement measures aimed at improving road safety and the level of service was identified under the RAP. To date some £1.5 million has been spent with further works due to be implemented when trunk road funds permit.

Water

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to seek information from Her Majesty’s Government on any derogations from the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) which were sought for areas of high natural dispersion and, if so, whether it will make this information available.

Sarah Boyack: I understand that Her Majesty’s Government submitted an application to the European Commission for a derogation under the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive for the discharge from Aberdeen in February 1998. The UK withdrew the application after discussions with the European Commission and other Member States who indicated that they would not support such a proposal.

  Ireland also sought derogation for more time to implement treatment for two of their discharges although these applications did not relate to areas of high natural dispersion. It also withdrew its proposal following similar discussions.

Water

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to publish a map of the European Union showing those areas in respect of which valid derogations have been granted from the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) as areas of high natural dispersion.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Office published a map showing high natural dispersion areas around Scotland in October 1998 and I have arranged for a copy to be placed in the Scottish Parliamentary Information Centre. There are no derogations from the requirement for secondary treatment in place for the UK at present. I understand the European Commission has published a map of the European Union showing high natural dispersion areas. There are no derogations shown.

Water

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation it intends to carry out in relation to improving standards of water quality in Scotland.

Sarah Boyack: We are currently considering a range of measures designed to improve environmental water quality standards. We will consult widely on proposals once our considerations are complete.

  A full consultation is planned for spring 2000 on draft drinking water quality regulations. New regulations transposing the latest EU Drinking Water Directive into Scottish Legislation are required by December 2000.